By Kay Luckett
“One cat leads to another” certainly applies to this cat-lover, whose affection for her furry family is demonstrated by the fact that she now has three cats belonging to one of the sweetest known breeds.
Meet Barb, busy mother of a small Maine Coon tribe: two guys and one gal, while being a devoted stepmother to the family dog. A Prescott resident with tastes in gourmet food and gourmet cats, she has been owned by Siamese, Abyssinians and, currently, by Maine Coons. Over the years, she raised four children, all of whom continue to show inherited qualities as cat-loving adults.
Along with mothering this small flock, she leads a group of cat-sanctuary volunteers and manages to keep medical and personality records of each of the 15 plus residents. Not one to sit on the sidelines, Barb, along with her crew, jumps in to help whenever litter boxes need cleaning, cat foods replenished, and most importantly, giving each and every cat personal attention. She knows the names and history of each resident cat even as the population changes from month to month.
Barb shares a list of her previous cats including childhood kitties with names of Pyewacket, Whistle, Kura, and Taji–a partial list of 20 or so, not including her present brood of three. Meet the babies: Sparky, Riley, and Tilly, all happily luxuriating at their desert digs after being born in cooler climates.
Settled in the Southwest, but born in Detroit, Barb started cat-sitting at a young age and her first cat, Pyewacket, was a black cat which inspired her to name him after a cat character she saw the movie, Bell, Book, and Candle.
A creative person by nature, she’s constantly inspired by her art, decorating skills, and a passion to learn—all of which compliment her extensive medical background. This gives her the perfect personality mix as she mothers, manages, and continually contributes in service to both her cat and her human families. She appears to magically incorporate all into a creative life and, as she often comments, her ongoing projects are “big and busy”, just like each of her days.
Her current feline family of three exhibits the gentle-giant attributes that Maine Coons are famous for. Upon your arrival, Sparky is at the front door with a gentle howl of greeting, Riley is sprawled and purring in his special space, and sister Tilly cat-naps on a custom sized cat-tower—the size of which can easily accommodate a small dog or two!
Sparky, the expert cabinet door opener, leads the way into the kitchen with a few soft howls and paws rhythmically at the cabinets to indicate his desire to eat. Each kitty has their own dining domain and gets a healthy portion of foods especially designed for this special breed of cats.
Sparky and Tilly are 8-year-old litter mates who have lived half of their lives with Smoosh, who sadly passed away last year at age 15. These two darlings are twins wearing gorgeous long-haired coats of dark and gray while sporting big white paws that look like socks. Big white whiskers adorn their large cat eyes, showing off a look of both joy & mystery. Both roll over in a second when offered affection of any kind.
Riley, the younger brother, has a coat of light gray with layers of white, looks out at his world with stunning green eyes. He’s often lying on his side, ready to be stroked and brushed. He plays his grooming game by grabbing the brush with both paws and shares a laid back, easy-going nature. He’s the baby of the family, Sparky is in charge, and Tilly is the water-cat who likes to sit in the sink. They each weigh between 20 and 25 pounds, and all are bakers who love to make biscuits and insist on coveting any available lap.
Barb explains why she keeps up a three-plus day work week with cats other than her own, saying that she experiences being a cat magnet. She clarifies further, saying that she finds felines “fascinating, that they choose you, and because cats know who their people are.” Barb also says that dogs give their love unconditionally and allow themselves to be governed by their people, while cats demand to be free and give love only on their terms.
Barb agrees with the philosophy that a person must love being a cat slave, and that you can’t demand love from a cat. “We must be grateful for whatever the cat gives us because we love them”. Cats know who has affinity for them as she quietly confesses, “I was a cat in another life.”
As these loving felines patiently vibe into the spooky Halloween season, they may also be secretly conjuring up who will be returning to join this enchanting and curious pack. Please stay tuned-in as the mystery unfolds and see who it will be, because… it could be you…
Meow.
